Title: The Program
Author: Suzanne Young
Series: Program, book #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Source: ARC received from publisher
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In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.
Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.
Imagine a world where you were likelier to commit suicide than graduate high school. And imagine that the only cure for this epidemic was to erase any and all tainted memories...any memories that might lead to depression. Would you take the cure? Or would you rather die your own way, painful but real memories intact? What if that choice was taken from you?
I'm not going to lie; I'm a little burned out on dystopian novels. And so I was a little hesitant to pick
The Program up, even though I was excited about it when I first discovered it on Goodreads last summer. But it helped that I'd already read and enjoyed the author's previous work. And although I noticed a lot of similarities between this novel and several others like it --
one reviewer on Goodreads even said it sounded like "Delirium but with suicide" and I'm inclined to agree -- I think it's the execution that really made
The Program an enjoyable read.
Sloan and James are trying to hold it together long enough for them to both turn eighteen and be out from under the threat of the Program. But with more and more of their friends and classmates becoming infected, it's hard to hold on to hope that they'll make it out of there with their memories complete. Their agony and anguish after dealing with loss upon loss -- whether to the Program or to suicide -- was so palpable, it nearly broke my own heart. This story was so intensely sad and the characters were even more so. But it's not just a story about suicide or even about bucking the system. It's also about an enduring love, one that I rooted for from the very beginning.
James turned and looked over at me. "You know I'm never going to be able to not kiss you again, right?" he said. "For the rest of my life, every time I look at you, I'll have to kiss you."
I smiled. "The rest of our lives is a long time, James. I'm sure there will be other lips." The minute I said it, I hated the words. But James just slowly shook his head.
"Naw," he said, rolling to lean over me once again. "These are the only ones I'll ever want." And he kissed me again.
The romance in this book was so sweet, beginning as a platonic friendship and morphing into a full-blown love story. Those are always my favorite kind of romance, where the friendship existed first. Sloan and James have known each other forever because James was Brady's best friend, before Brady killed himself. Brady, who was Sloan's slightly older brother. They had already been secretly dating before the tragedy, but they were the only reason each other survived it afterward. Seeing how close they were and sensing what was coming, it made it really difficult to read on and see how their world was about to deteriorate.
"I think I broke my femur," James says, as he lies underneath me. "On the console when you were attacking me? I think I broke it."
I laugh. "Shut up."
"I didn't mind though," he says conversationally. "Like when you bit my shoulder. It was—"
I reach up and put my hand over his mouth, not moving it even after he licks my fingers. "Shut up." As if agreeing, he pulls me closer, resting his cheek on top of my head. When it's quiet, I move my palm and rest it on his chest.
"It was nice," he whispers, but not jokingly. "It wasn't weird, either. And that's... kind of weird."
I was pleasantly surprised with the turn the story took, and though it was a little predictable and some of the foreshadowing was fairly obvious, it was still a pretty great novel as a whole. It was suspenseful, but not to the point that I was screaming "Just tell me what the eff happened to Brady already," or anything like that. The anticipation always came with a nice build-up, followed by a flashback to answer any lingering doubts. I'm actually reasonably impressed with the whole effect. But even more than that, I loved the epilogue. And I usually
don't like epilogues. But with this one, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the Program, not a wrap-up of the novel. It was very much appreciated, especially since I learned something that I had otherwise disregarded in the body of the novel.
Yes, you've probably seen this premise, or one like it, before. But as someone who's also read a ton of dystopian, I can honestly say that this novel is just different enough to stand out...to stand on its own. And even if it wasn't, you want to meet James...trust me. And regardless of any similarities, it's still a very gripping and engaging story.
James smiles as he traces his finger over my mouth. "I think..." He stops and looks into my eyes, his stare arresting, pinning me in place. "I think I'm in love with you," he whispers. "Is that crazy?"
His words strike my heart, and the ache that's been a constant in my chest goes away completely. I lick my lips and smile. "So crazy."
"Then I guess I love you madly." And then he leans down and kisses me again.
Rating: 
1/2
About the author:
Originally from New York, Suzanne Young moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She currently resides in Tempe, where she teaches high school English. When not writing obsessively, Suzanne can be found searching her own tragic memories for inspiration.
Suzanne is the author of several books for teens, including THE PROGRAM, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, and A WANT SO WICKED.
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